The Great Places Commission visited the former mill towns of Dewsbury and Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire on 8-9 May, where they met residents, community groups, and representatives from local government, business and academia.
Watch the video
Find out more about the people the Commissioners met and what they learnt in Dewsbury and Hebden Bridge in our short video.
Our short video explores the challenges and opportunities in Hebden Bridge and Dewsbury.
Focus on what's strong, not what's wrong – lessons from Yorkshire
In Dewsbury and Hebden Bridge, the Great Places Commission discussed the need to focus on a place's existing assets and potential, rather than its weaknesses or challenges. Read our report to find out what else we learnt in Yorkshire.
Creating great places is about building on what a place already has going for it.
What people told us
The residents we spoke to at our community workshop talked about their pride in the town's heritage and history, and their desire to see the town centre revived. They also talked about the need to invest in transport links and better local infrastructure, including facilities for children, healthcare and leisure spaces.
The visual report from our community workshop in Dewsbury.
Find out more
If you'd like to find out more about our visit to Yorkshire or about the Great Places programme, contact us at greatplaces@housing.org.uk.
You can also follow the Commission's progress on Twitter via #GreatPlacesCommission.